Jesus, keep me near the cross

Glory be to God in the highest for the gift of life. It was when l could not find the stipulated hymn on my quiet time Devotional that I was moved to discover the hymn. What a joy filled my soul! Thank you Jesus

I will always love this song, God bless.

Thank you for this sacred song. It's precious time I am sitting nearby cross close to Jesus

This song brings God's presence with me whenever I sing it...

This hymn is one of the best, and probably most enduring of Fanny J. Crosby‘s sacred lyrics. It was inspired by Colossians 1:29:

“For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power. “

Francis Jane Crosby, the blind poet and hymnodist, was born in Southeast New York, March 24, 1820. She lost her eyesight at the age of six. She spent 12 years at the New York

Institute for the Blind where she became a teacher, and in 1858 married fellow student, Mr. Alexander Van Alstyne, a musician.

They had a baby girl but she died in her sleep not long after being born.

While George F. Root was the musical instructor at the institution, Fanny wrote the words to his popular song-tunes. “Rosalie, the prairie-flower, ” and the long favorite melody, “There’s music in the air” being among the many to which she supplied the text and the song name.

Her latter years were lived out in Bridgeport Connecticut, where she enjoyed a serene and happy old age until her death at age 94. She wrote over 8, 000 hymns and gospel songs with more than 100 million copies printed.

The tune for this hymn was composed by William Howard Doane. He and Fanny collaborated in writing over 1, 000 hymns. Sometimes William wrote the tune first and then she would be inspired to write the text . Other times Fanny wrote the lyrics first and he would then compose the music. They worked together for many years. Both died in 1915 within months of each other.

Brown and Butterworth

This hymn came to mind this morning as I was beginning my quiet time. I couldn't bring all of the words to mind, but searching brought me here. Jesus, please keep me near the cross. Amen.

Please Lord keep me at the cross.

I am blessed by the insperation of this hymn. God bless the writer ijn.

Oh Lord help me to always stay close so I can finish well in the of life.

Thanks you for bringing this song to me this afternoon through our father.